Tourist-friendly revamp of square

How the Grassmarket will look after the refurbishment

Historic panels, engraved poems and cobbles to mark where gallows used to be are part of a tourist-friendly revamp of Edinburgh's Grassmarket.

The square's Covenanters' Memorial is to have a multi-million refurbishment.

The existing memorial connecting Victoria Street with the Grassmarket, just shows the 100 Covenanters who were executed there between 1661 and 1688.

Covenanters opposed Stuart Kings in Presbyterian Church of Scotland affairs.

Ministers with Covenanting sympathies were "outed" from their churches by the authorities and had to leave their parishes.

The rejuvenation of the Grassmarket will undoubtedly mean that more people visit one of the most historic areas of Edinburgh and all it has to offer Phil Wheeler Edinburgh City Council

However, many continued to preach, which became an offence punishable by death.

The changes to the square including relocating parking spaces, creating an events zone and extending a pavement cafe area, are due to be finished by next year.

Phil Wheeler, the Edinburgh councillor in charge of public realm projects in the capital, said: "The rejuvenation of the Grassmarket will undoubtedly mean that more people visit one of the most historic areas of Edinburgh and all it has to offer.

"Marking the line of the Flodden Wall, interpreting the former hangman's gallows in stone and improving the visibility of the Covenanter's Memorial will preserve the rich and varied history of the area in a way that will be of interest to locals and visitors alike."